Damon 4x19: The Wrong Dance Partner
by EldestSalvatore
Summary: Damon realizes once again he's not the right dance partner when it comes to love and Elena Gilbert.


_I never loved you it was always Stefan _

_Well maybe that's the problem _

If Damon had to choose between the two for which statement had hurt the most he instantly would have chosen choice two because for as long as he could remember he had built a wall around him, isolating everyone from around him not allowing them entrance, not allowing himself to feel, but the night he met Elena Gilbert that all changed and as days, weeks and months passed Damon found caring grow to loving, but of course being Damon he had kept that hidden secret harbored inside.

The night of the Original Ball Damon had dragged himself to go knowing full well that there was a high chance that Elena would be making an appearance even with his protest and instruction to stay home he knew she'd go against his wishes, and she did. Never once did he allow his eyes to stray from her making sure she was always in his vision, here she was surrounded by Originals and he be dammed if he'd allow something to happen to her. Unfortunately Damon had made the mistake of joining in on a dance that consisted of switching partners and before he knew it the second he looked back Elena was gone. Fear had instantly gripped him as countless thoughts flooded his mind, but he felt relief the moment his phone buzzed requesting for him to meet her upstairs. The second that he crossed into the room he was greeted by the site of a conflicted Elena, his mouth opening to ask what the hell was going on, but the question never slipping from his lips as he felt his very neck snap from him, and darkness consume him.

After coming to and realizing what had happened he quickly rushed off to find Elena, even in his anger his expression softened the moment he found her, catching up to her and demanding that they leave now, since she had gotten what she had he wanted to get her the hell out of here, to safety. Somehow during their argument Elena had thrown out to him that he was mad at her for teaming up with Stefan to which he had responded with _I'm mad at you because I love you _there he had said it, finally bared his damn soul to her, now standing before her waiting for an answer, clearly he knew what she felt towards him couldn't be love, but she had to feel something, silently he found himself pleading for her to give him a glimpse of hope that he could hold onto.

Unfortunately for Damon any flicker of hope that he was holding onto for dear life was ripped away at her statement _well maybe that's the problem _his stomach dropping, his confident expression faltering for that fraction of a second as he processed her words finding how comical it was that all this time she had been urging him to feel and finally when he allows himself to feel its a problem _irony at its fucking best _he thinks to himself his gaze on her hardening as his walls instantly reconstruct themselves.

—-

That had been Damon's first choice, that was until now when he was presented with a whole other statement _I feel nothing for you Damon _if it had been a while back like in the time frame before feelings between the two were exchanged then it wouldn't have hurt this much, but he had experienced love with Elena, he had experienced tender and heart felt words and dammit he had experienced happiness even if it had been for a few moments before the bubble had been popped.

It seemed like it had been so long ago since he had last heard her say I love you Damon or when she had pleaded with him to take the cure with her _that's how much I know this is real, that's how much I'm certain that I'm going to love you even after this is all over _he deserved a damn pat on the back because he even knew that was a pipe dream, yet somewhere deep down inside of him he ached for it.

It was his fault, his fault for using the sire bond against her and having her turn off her emotions, but he had done it for her, he knew she wouldn't have survived with it on, having to deal with the grief, the pain and the nagging of people asking how she was, eventually she would have taken a stake to herself, so once again he stepped in because he knew that life wasn't living and he wanted to give her something even if that included letting her love for him go.

Now Damon found himself wanting to give anything to get her to look at him the way she use to, the way her brown orbs had the power to steal his very breath from him, now however they were cold and empty, they no longer were her eyes.

Elena Gilbert was gone trapped in nothing but a vessel of a cold heartless bitch and yet still she had the power to break down. Snapping himself from his daze realizing he's been silent for too long he opens his mouth to say something, anything, but immediately closes it noticing her already retreating from him yet he stands still in his spot, his eyes trained on her until her figure disappears completely from his view.

—

Refusing to leave knowing he still has to keep himself there to baby sit Elena he finds himself confiscating a flask from one of the dim witted jocks taking it as his own, uncapping it and raising it to his lips. Well it's certainly not his signature bourbon, but with the burning it's creating down his throat it'll do.

Noticing a white figure make their way over to him he instantly groans _great what lecture will she throw upon me now "_Blondie" he greets giving a curt nod and sending her a charming grin "are you enjoying prom is it everything you dreamed and hoped it would be" he cheekily questions giving a slight roll of his eyes raising the flask once again to his lips and taking a deep swig. The mask stays on, never once does he allow it to falter, never once does he vent on Elena hurting his feelings and crushing his damn heart again, but when he's asked if he's seen Elena he inwardly flinches "she's probably wishing that spiked punch was a deeper crimson" his brows wiggling suggestively before deciding to be polite and offer her a drink before she politely turns him down "suit yourself" he nonchalantly shrugs his shoulders about to venture off somewhere else when he turns around to glance back "hey Blon" he begins to say but stops himself, looking at her for a moment "you look beautiful" he states noticing the hint of surprise on her face, taking that as his cue to exit he offers a small smile before turning on his heel to go search for Elena _I need to talk to her._

_—_

Damon found himself truly grateful that the crap these idiots deemed as music had finally halted as a slower song came on. Entering the dance hall room he glances around shifting through the various student bodies huddling close to each other, embracing in the slow sway _maybe I can ask her for a dance it is our thing _he thinks to himself trying not to seem all too hopeful just in-case she turns him down.

Instantly he spot a glimpse of her burgundy dress his dead heart instantly racing as he approaches but comes to an instant sudden halt at the sight before him, Elena and his brother swaying together, their eyes locked on each other and it's easy for anyone to see their sharing a moment. His beating heart instantly halts sinking once again and as much as he wants to turn his attention away from the couple he finds his eyes intently locked on them, it's like a damn eclipse that he can't escape the more he looks the more pain he feels coursing though him and yet he can't stop. As he stands there he's hit instantly, every emotional pain and speech hitting him harder than ever.

_I'm surprised you'd think I'd kiss you back_

_Damon I care about you, I care about you, but it's Stefan, it's always going to be Stefan_

_Maybe that's not the problem_

_If you're mad at me Damon you need to get over it _

_It's not right_

_I don't know_

_No matter what I feel for you I never un-fell for him _

_And I care about you Damon which is why I have to let you go _

Elena's words hitting him, nagging him and taunting him giving him more solid proof that it always will be Stefan even with her humanity turned off somehow Stefan is bringing her back. He blinks the tears that he feels are forming, and freezes the moment Elena's gaze meets his, he remains frozen in his spot _no…no I won't allow her to break me again _no longer able to stomach the sight in front of him he turns on his heels, pushing past the crowd and exiting the room.

—

Air, he needed air, granted he was a Vampire he found himself desperately needing to get the hell out of here, away from the sight that still seemed to be haunting him. Damon wasn't sure where he was going, but he allowed his feet to carry him outside into the garden. His gaze swept around the area, his attuned hearing kicking in making sure he wouldn't have a run in with any frisky teen's, now was not the time.

With the all clear he begins to venture deeper into the garden taking note of how extravagant everything was, glittering lights hanging from around the trees, the trickling sound of water sounding as he passed a fountain before stopping at the white gazebo _far enough away from everyone this is a good spot_he thinks to himself as he heads up the steps entering the gazebo.

Hands braced against the railing as he closed his eyes trying to calm his emotions he was stuck at a crossroads not knowing whether to be hurt of what he had witness or betrayed at the sole fact that his brother had stated just a day ago that he planned to move on from Elena, and yet that "doesn't look like moving onto me" he hisses out his grip on the railing increasing.

Truthfully Damon was having a hard time fathoming why Stefan was getting the attention considering throughout Elena's whole transition all Stefan had done was bitch about how she needed to be fixed and yet somehow he was being seen as the ever white knight again. _Well if he hadn't been such a spoiled little brat throwing all his attention for this cure we never would have searched for it and Jeremy would still be alive….Elena's motions would still be on and maybe, maybe she'd love me _he shakes his head knowing how truly delusional this sounds.

Always Stefan

There was no way in hell he was going to stay for this, he had seen the Stefan and Elena reunion countless amounts of times and there was no way he'd put himself through it again. _Considering my brother has trouble with sticking to plans perhaps I'll follow through and leave this dull down…there's nothing left for me here, maybe I'll turn my emotions off and allow myself to revel again in the blood lust, I'll travel around the world killing as I please never once feeling a hint of guilt and never once allowing my thought to drift off to Elena. _

Damon had been so caught up in his plans that he hadn't picked up on the sound of footsteps approaching him and he didn't catch onto the brown eyes intently focusing on him causing her to finally speak up so she could be noticed "isn't it a said tradition for you and I to share a dance" she finally speaks up causing him to snap from his daze, his body stiffening as he hears her voice _she revels in hurting you don't let her see it _he mentally tells himself.

Here we go he prepares himself, straightening his posture as he turns himself around to face her, his blue hues instantly taking in the beautiful goddess before him, the beautiful creature responsible for giving his humanity back and the beautiful vision that now has him contemplating on running and turning it all off "Elena."


End file.
